Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) working president Hemant Sorentook oath as the 11th chief minister of Jharkhand on Sunday. The swearing-inceremony in Ranchi saw a show of strength from the opposition parties.
44-year old Soren took oath as the chief minister of thestate for the second time. The JMM had contested this election in alliance withthe Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Soren has been credited withstitching together the alliance and keeping it intact through the election.
Along with Soren, two leaders from the Congress and one leader from the RJD also took the oath.
Of the 81 seats in the assembly, the alliance won 47 seats, with the JMM winning 30 seats on their own. The alliance government also has support from other parties in the assembly, including Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik), which won three seats in the assembly.
After forming the government in Maharashtra, the result in Jharkhand was a major boost for opposition parties.
The ceremony was attended by former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, senior Nationalist Congress Party leader Supriya Sule, Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, Communist Party of India general secretary D Raja and senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh. This comes months ahead of assembly elections in key states of Delhi and Bihar.
Former chief minister Raghubar Das also attended the event in Ranchi. Tackling growing unemployment and the farm crisis, and ensuring reservation for locals is the top agenda for the alliance led by the JMM as it prepares to form the government in Jharkhand.
